[Tutor] Borrowing free code

[Alan Gauld]

On 04/12/2018 19:31, Avi Gross wrote:

> But some packages are simply python code that you can 
> simply insert into your own python files. 

If they are fully public domain that's probably true.
If they are copyright (even if open/free) you would be
potentially liable for prosecution since you are copying
someone else's work.

Even if it is open source then at the very least
you should include a comment to the effect that
the code is based on, say, M Palin's file parrot.py
or whatever.

> And, yes, this means you do not get updates if the module changes.  

And this is a big drawback for any non trivial code
unless you are a significantly better programmer
than whoever wrote it in the first place. (Since
understanding somebody else's code is much harder
than understanding your own!)

-- 
Alan G
Author of the Learn to Program web site
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